Green Economy
Costs and benefits of policy interventions

Our work on the benefits and costs of environmental policies and measures covers a wide range of areas including biodiversity, water quality, waste management, air pollution and climate change in several Member States.
more...

IEEP has extensive experience of the development of methodologies for the assessment of the benefits of improved environmental policy in both EU and other countries. We have led and collaborated on several benefits studies for former Acceding and Candidate Countries (including Croatia and South East European Countries) and neighbourhood countries.

Some of our key work includes the following:

In 2006-07 we were responsible for the study Benefits for environmental improvements in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) countries. This project for DG Environment led to the elaboration of a methodology for the assessment of environmental benefits related to air and water quality, waste management and nature protection. The report was complemented by a scoping study on the Ukraine.

In 2007-08 IEEP collaborated with several partners in to a European study on the Cost of Policy Inaction (COPI): The case of not meeting the 2010 biodiversity target. This study for DG Environment provided an inventory of the economic valuations of biodiversity, linked to changes in land cover and land use, to analyse the cost to terrestrial ecosystems of not halting biodiversity loss. This was an important input to TEEB process.

In 2008-09 we carried out the study Further Developing Assumptions on Monetary Valuation of Biodiversity: Cost of Policy Inaction (COPI II). This study, commissioned by DG Environment, aimed to further develop the monetary figures used in the 2007-08 COPI study and to better explore the issue of substitutability of capital also fed into TEEB.

Our ongoing work includes:

The study Analysis for European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument (ENPI) Countries. This study for DG AIDCO will provide an assessment of the social and economic benefits of environmental improvements in the 16 European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) countries and in the Russian Federation.

The DG Environment study Taking into Account Opportunity Costs when Assessing Costs of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Action. This work aims to estimate the costs of biodiversity actions in the EU, with special consideration of opportunity costs, for which there is currently only limited coverage in existing literature.

Highlights

This report presents the state of play of legal and operational issues to be tackled with a view to better support a transition towards a green and circular economy in the EU Outermost Regions (ORs), including Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion Island, Saint-Martin, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands.

A new report by the European Policy Centre (EPC) summarises the existing evidence on the role of water in supporting human wellbeing. IEEP contributed to insights on the policy instruments available for sustainable water management.

A range of examples exist around the world on innovative instruments that can finance, cover or recover the costs of policy action on invasive alien species. A review by IEEP and partners identifies a number of such examples and assesses their pros and cons.

Investments in nature and green infrastructure have helped meet Cohesion Policy objectives and vice-versa. This new guide presents some examples, tools and approaches making it a useful toolkit for stakeholders implementing Cohesion Policy up to 2020.

Co-authored by IEEP staff, the Manual is for anyone who is considering or currently undertaking a TEEB country study. Its purpose is to provide guidance throughout the entire TCS cycle, from initiation to policy analysis and ecosystem service valuations, communicating findings, and using results to support decision making.

IEEP has just produced a roadmap and guidance document to help practitioners to incorporate biodiversity and ecosystem values into their NBSAPs. See case study examples and tune into the webinars on June 5 and 7.

This new IEEP-authored report highlighting the importance of nature to the economy aims to clarify and help mainstream nature’s role in the transition to a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.

Biochar has the potential to both mitigate greenhouse gases, and to act as an adaptation measure in terms of responding to the impacts of climate change. Based on its compatibility with the appropriate soil properties, it could increase the resilience of soil to erosion.

This benefit Assessment Manual, originally for internal use, has been turned into a Benefit Assessment Manual for policy makers and experts for wider dissemination and provides an understanding of the methodologies applied for the country benefit assessments.

There are considerable benefits from taking immediate action to address the environmental problems facing Egypt, including in the area of air pollution, water quality and infrastructures and waste management, and safeguarding its natural heritage.

Investing in improving environmental standards in the ENPI South countries would offer huge benefits in terms of cost savings, improved security (food, water, energy and climate), and improved quality of life.

Investing in improving environmental standards in the ENPI East countries would offer huge benefits in terms of cost savings, improved security (food, water, energy and climate), and improved quality of life.